World's Finest
by Andrew Joshua Talon
Summary: Sequel to Fuyuoka and Bat Tales 3. When Keitaro Urashima became Superman, he didn't expect to meet up with others like him... Or to lead the defense of Earth against it's destruction, either.
1. Chapter 1

World's Finest

By Andrew J. Talon

DISCLAIMER: None of the animes or comics or anything in them mentioned in this story are my property. They are the property of their respective creators. I only claim ownership of the story itself. I am not writing this for profit.

A/N: Okay, you guys twisted my arm enough. Here's a sequel to both stories. Mind you, it's just to help me work through my writer's block with all my other stories, so don't expect a lot out of it.

- - - - - - -

Hi. My name's Keitaro Urashima. I'm 22 years old and live in Hinata Springs, Japan. And right now, I've managed to (yet again) piss off my "study buddy", Naru Narusegawa.

"YOU... STUPID... PERVERT!"

WHAM! Despite the intended effect of her fist against my temple, I barely feel Naru's punch even push against me. And most of any movement occurring is from me moving back.

As I give an automatic scream, my body hurled through the roof and into the open sky, I mentally sigh.

Stupid bitch, I think bitterly. First she tells me she loves me, then she tells me she doesn't, and now we're back to how things were at the beginning.

The blows don't hurt physically, but they do plenty of damage to my heart.

I strip at super-speed, yanking off my jeans, sneakers, and sweater, letting them fall away as my cape is freed. The boots of my costume were designed by Suu to shrink when exposed to my freeze breath, and as I apply some heat vision they expand back to normal. I slip them on, tugging my glasses off and shoving them into a compartment on said boots. I shake out my hair, and smile in the brilliant sun above.

"Guess I can start my patrol early today," I decided, accelerating and flying among the clouds. In a twisted sort of way, I have to appreciate Naru. She definitely gives me an excuse to get out of the house. Of course, I can't exactly always show my alter-ego when she punches me out...

People might get suspicious. Make connections... Ah ha! Car chase. That will do nicely.

I dive down at high speed and follow the action, my enhanced vision easily picking out the lone van with the police cruisers behind it. I roll my eyes.

"Damnit Seta, how the hell do you keep getting into these messes?" I mutter, accelerating until I'm flying right over the van. My eyes widen as Seta pokes his head out and opens fire with a machine gun at me.

"Back off Superman!" He shouts, still firing even as the bullets bounce off my skin. I sigh.

"Dr. Noriyasu, enough," I state. I fly ahead of the van and simply stand in the road. I then run backwards, easily matching the van's speed and catching it with my hands. I raise an eyebrow at

the shocked-looking Sarah behind the wheel, as I stop, stopping the van despite her frantic stomps on the accelerator. The police catch up as I lift up the van, grabbing the axels and crushing them, before setting the van back down.

Seta comes out and tries to punch me, but I catch his fist with another eye-roll.

"Dr. Noriyasu, please try to remember. What's happened the last ten times you've done this?"

"Uh... I defeated you and you let me go?" He said hopefully. I smile cheerfully back.

"Wrong answer," I say, before I flick his forehead with just enough force to knock him out.

"YOU ALIEN BASTARD!" Sarah screams, rushing me with a baseball bat. I roll my eyes again.

_SNAP_!

"Yes, I'm an alien. No, I'm not a bastard. And for the last time," I state, picking her up and staring her in the eyes, "that _doesn't work on me_."

"Thanks Superman," says one of the officers. "We'll take it from here."

Smiling I hand over the screeching Sarah and unconscious Seta to the police, before X-Raying

the van. I whistle.

"Man, how'd they manage to steal THAT?"

It's advanced, whatever it is. The circuitry controlling the - reactor? - looks out of this world.

And coming from me, that says a lot.

"It was being held in a Sakata Corporation warehouse, apparently it's a demonstrator of some kind," one of the officers said.

"That it is," said a familiar voice behind me, and I almost jumped. Who the hell could sneak up on...?

Oh yeah.

"Mr. Sakata," I say politely. My best (male) friend smiled confidently, hands behind his back. A few guys in Sakata Corporation uniforms go to the van, examining the merchandise.

"Thank you Superman. You've kept this demonstrator out of the wrong hands," he

complimented, striding forward and holding his own hand out. I took it and shook it firmly with a smile back.

"Not a problem, just doing my civic duty. By the way, what is that thing?"

"Nothing much, Superman. Just something that'll change human history," he winked at the reporters now flocking the scene. Always a bit camera shy, I give a few last nods and smiles before flying off to resume my patrol.

A few muggings prevented, a bank robbery, and it's time to head back home. I make a quick stop around the forest surrounding the inn and dig out my clothes, letting myself sink down in posture a little. My hair is fixed and my glasses are back on, as I walk slowly up the steps to the Hinata Sou.

Shinobu is sweeping outside, and she smiles radiantly as she spots me.

"H-Hello, sempai! Have a good day?"

"Pretty slow," I return. Shinobu nods, out of habit reaching up and grasping the kryptonite necklace she wore. I'd managed to finally find it after throwing it so far away the day we met, and Suu had treated it with a lead seal to protect me.

"Same here," she sighs, shaking her head. "Oh! By the way, your parents called, they wanted to know how you were doing."

"Aw damn, I forgot to call them didn't I?" I groan, holding my forehead. I sigh and shake my head. "Guess I'll just have to visit them in person to make up for it."

"I hope so," Shinobu returned. She then frowned.

"Sempai... Exactly how do Sarah and Dr. Noriyasu get out of jail so often?"

"Wish I knew," I smiled, shaking my head as I walked back to the inn. I paused and frowned, turning and looking out into the forest.

Shinobu noticed and blinked at me in concern.

"Sempai? Are you allright?"

"I'm fine Shinobu-chan," I reply, raising an eyebrow. Whatever I heard... It was gone now. I shake my head and open the door before walking back in.

Naru is in the sitting room near the lobby, studying with books out on the coffee table. She looks up long enough to glare and snort, before resuming her scribbling. I roll my eyes and head up the stairs to my room. I've got finances to look after, not to mention the repairs from my latest "exit"...

"Keitaro!" Cried a familiar blonde as she leapt up to kick me. I ducked and smirked as she sailed over my back, landing in a giggling heap against the wall.

"Nice to see you too, Suu-chan," I teased, "though you should watch where you're going next time." Suu leapt up and took my hand, chattering excitedly.

"Did you hear Keitaro? You could hear probably, Suu was happy about it, but then Suu

remembered she put up the sonic jammer today because termites were gnawing in the trees and it was TOO LOUD for Suu to sleep so Suu decided to try ear muffs but the sonic jammer is SO much better and so I..."

Good-naturedly I let her lead me to her room as her monologue bounced from one tangent to the next. She opened the door to the jungle-like interior and led me to one of the grassy clearings inside. I shake my head at the fact that this room is a LOT bigger than it should be according to the plans...

"... so they made Suu their chief and-OH! Suu lost train of thought. Here Suu go!" She

rummaged around in the bushes and pulled out a strange, silvery box. She opened it, revealing it to be a mini-computer laptop.

"Suu got this message from Suu's Big Brother Ramba!" She squealed happily, indicating an open email window on the small screen. "Ramba coming to visit Suu!"

"Oh, he is huh?" I chuckle. "You've warned him about Motoko and Naru, right?"

Suu grins, and I recognize what kind of grin it is. Not the usual "devil-may-care" grin she wears often, but the one that clearly states "Suu-is-about-to-blow-something-up, run-for-the-hills". I instinctively back away.

"Er... Suu? What's with that look on your face?"

Suu giggled.

"Suu not think that Ramba worry about those two," the blonde girl said craftily. "Ramba is VERY fast."

"Fast? How fast?" I asked, that sinking feeling in my stomach increasing.

"Yo," said a deep, masculine voice behind me. I spun around in shock at the tall, dark-skinned, bleach blonde man standing before me, a jaguar's grin on his face. He was dressed in a bizarre, red and white body armor, almost like the kind you'd see on Sentai Ranger shows. Save for the face he didn't have a motorcycle helmet on-Just a neon-yellow visor with two red fins on either side. He was leaning back against the door frame, casually, arms crossed over his chest.

"You're... Wait. You're Ramba right?"

The man grinned and nodded.

"Yep. And you... Superman, correct?"

I swore my heart stopped beating for an instant. I turned around and glared at Suu, my eyes glowing slightly red.

"SUU! WHY DID YOU TELL HIM?!"

"Because Ramba would show you secret as well!" Suu cheered. I blinked and saw that Ramba was now behind his little sister, still grinning.

"... Fwuh?"

The pictures from a half-dozen tabloid newspapers came into my mind, as my mouth dropped open.

"You're... _Him_?"

"Ramba Suu," he said with a bow. "Though you can call me 'The Flash', if you'd prefer...?"

- - - - - - - -

Just a few quick notes. There will be more DC/anime heros appearing, and not just from Love Hina. Mutsumi will be Batwoman (the original Bat-person in this universe, not the lame one that bastard Didio's got running around right now), and various other characters will appear. You'll just have to wait and see everything that happens. I intend for this to be a seven-chapter limited series, so don't think I'm abandoning my other stories... Again. I mean it this time.

Why won't anyone believe me? (sigh)

Anyway, please review.


	2. Chapter 2

World's Finest

By Andrew J. Talon

DISCLAIMER: None of the animes or comics or anything in them mentioned in this story are my property. They are the property of their respective creators. I only claim ownership of the story itself. I am not writing this for profit.

A/N: And now we're up to chapter 2. Hope you don't mind the crossovers I've added, but this fic was originally written for "The Bet", and therefore crossovers of this nature are not out of the ordinary.

- - - - - - -

Night had fallen over the island nation of Japan, cities blossoming millions of points of light as the sun set. And many a thug and yakuza could not help but feel nervous when this occurred. During the day, they had Superman to contend with. During the night... They were no safer.

Kodachi Kuno did not care about safety. No, she cared about one thing, and one thing only-Revenge.

The Black Rose of Furinken could barely suppress a cackle as she crept to the edge of the roof. Down below in the street, a familiar black vehicle had been parked. She easily recognized the sleek, powerful form. It belonged to that accursed Bat-lady, a common peasant in a fancy costume. She had interfered in Kodachi's schemes for the last time!

'Such insolence shall not go unpunished, oh ho ho ho!' She thought, her array of poisonous flowers at the ready. All she needed was the whore to appear and vengeance would be-!

"Ahem."

Kodachi blinked and turned around. A fist filled her vision, as pain filled her head and she knew no more.

Batwoman sighed, tying the mad gymnast up and hanging her over the side of the building, anchored securely to an air conditioning unit. The annoying brat had been trying to attack her ever since she'd broken up what seemed like an all-out assault in the Nerima district of Tokyo.

The fact that these incidents, perpetuated by a group of super-powered martial artists collectively referred to as "The Nerima Wrecking Crew", were regarded as an everyday thing had been absolutely disgusting in the vigilante's eyes. These children were dangerous, why was she the only one to see it?

She shook her head, using her palmtop computer to open the Car's cockpit. She leapt down and landed in the driver's seat easily, securing the vehicle's hatch and driving off. She had more important things to worry about at the moment.

"Computer, access Fudachi Correctional Facility's security grid," she ordered. A hologram appeared of said facility, and her lensed eyes narrowed.

"Run standard search," she spoke again, and the computers went to work, analyzing the system, looking for weaknesses or vulnerable points.

"No weaknesses found," the computer responded in a robotic tone, and Batwoman cursed.

"Run full-spectrum scan," she ordered again. A few minutes passed.

"No weaknesses found," the computer said again. Batwoman growled.

She'd examined the security set up for the prison herself of course, several times. The bugs she'd placed into it had actually improved the facility's overall preparedness. And after every break-out of Seta Noriyasu she'd personally added a few of her own modifications and systems to the security network, hacking into their databases and making them seem like standard upgrades from the state.

'And he still keeps getting out,' she mused angrily. 'How?'

An alert sounded on her console, and she checked it. 'Youkai disturbance' was what the computer stated, indicating a high school not too far from her current location. She gunned the engine and accelerated, a frown underneath her mask.

"Magical girl signatures?"

"None," the computer replied. Batwoman smirked. Hopefully she'd get there first and take care of the beast before the Sailor Scouts showed up. Again, she found herself in utter disbelief at how people could tolerate a bunch of teenagers with super powers causing so much reckless destruction. Every time they went into battle, that is. Batwoman acknowledged that she herself couldn't always be perfect in that regard, but a bunch of girls throwing around elemental attacks was infinitely more dangerous than she at her worst...

- - - - - - - - - -

Ramba sipped his tea, now dressed in a simple white tunic and black silk pants, at the small table Suu had set up in her room. I sat across from him, Suu hungrily downing a plate of cookies she'd brought down. On my other side, Shinobu sat, a bit nervously I could tell.

Me? Sure, I'd met urban legends before (The Sailor Scouts were a... Notable encounter, heh), but Ramba... The Flash... Was world famous.

"Well, it was entirely by accident that I got into this gig," he was saying, "an experiment gone wrong. Looks like Suu's picked up my bad habit in that regard."

Suu pouted adorably.

"Awwww, Big Brother! Suu has fun with experiments! And besides, Suu never messes with Speed Force!"

"Sp-Speed Force?" Shinobu asked nervously. Ramba nodded with a kind smile.

"Yes. According to the majority of modern scientists, there are four forces in the universe. Gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force. However, there are in fact many more than just those. One is what we call the Speed Force."

"Big Brother discovered it," Suu said proudly. "It force of pure kinetic force, the vibrations and movements of matter, anything with mass."

"Usually, the Speed Force is an extra-dimensional one," Ramba said. "In theoretical physics terms, there are layers of dimensions in our universe where kinetic energy and mass are different things. The Speed Force is found in such a dimension. Now, in our dimension it usually only expresses itself in say, black holes, where the usual laws of physics don't really apply anyway."

"But," Suu cut in, "Big Brother tapped into Speed Force physically! His body infused with link of energy of Speed Force!"

"When it happened, I almost tore myself apart," Ramba said with a sigh. He gestured to the costume he'd worn before now lying on a tree branch. "My parents managed to develop a suit that, for lack of a better term, slowed me down by suppressing my link to the Speed Force by a significant amount."

Ramba shrugged with a smile.

"Even after all these years, I can't be out of it for longer than an hour at most."

I nodded with an encouraging smile.

"It can be rough, learning how to live with your gifts," I said. Ramba nodded back.

"Exactly... For you, I imagine it's difficult to interact normally with people. That strength of yours..."

Shinobu shifted a bit more closely to me, laying a small hand on my forearm.

"Sempai has never hurt anyone by accident," she said, calmly but firmly even as she blushed. I couldn't help but blush a little myself.

"No... On the other hand, this place doesn't exactly help," I noted. Ramba nodded solemnly.

"Yes... There is a great deal of unusual energy in the Hinata Sou. Suu's been keeping us all updated back at home."

"You mean, you all know about, uh..." I trailed off, as Suu smiled.

"Don't worry Keitaro! Only Suu's family know. We keep secrets. Suu not want to lose Keitaro," she said earnestly. I smile back as she returns to devouring her cookies and bananas.

"Thanks... It... That means a lot," I replied. Ramba stretched slightly, and stood up.

"Well, I just wanted to meet you for myself," he said with a smile. "Suu and Amalla have said good things about you, and I wanted to know why they had such an interest in you."

I felt a bit nervous at how he emphasized 'interest', that smiling face revealing nothing to me. His heartbeat was already very, very fast so that was no help. But still, this man was a fellow... 'Super', as some had begun calling us. He understood what I went through. And I trusted Suu after all... Why shouldn't I trust someone she also trusted?

"Anyway, take care Keitaro, Suu, Shinobu-chan," Ramba imparted with a grin. "I'll be around for a while, checking out the sights in case you need me."

"Need you? Why?" I asked, curious. At his puzzled look I quickly added, "Not that I mean that as an insult, but... You seemed to imply something's up."

"Maybe," he replied seriously. "Suu can probably fill you in better than I can... Until we meet again then." He bowed, and blurred, zooming to his suit. An instant later he'd pulled it back on, and though my enhanced senses weren't really geared towards ki, or life force, I could tell he became more... Stable, once the suit was on. A smile and jaunty wave to us, and he vanished at super speed out the door.

"Ramba great, isn't he?" Suu gushed happily. I nodded, standing up. Shinobu gave me a questioning look, to which I smiled.

"He is... It's time for my patrol." Both girls nodded in understanding. Suu got up and darted into the trees.

"Suu will get data for you! When you come back, Suu will explain!" The blonde girl called back. I nodded as Shinobu stood up as well, stretching.

"You... You will be careful, right Sempai?" She asked. Shinobu always asked this, but I understood why. I gave her a smile and nodded.

"I promise," I vowed, before heading out the door at normal speed. It was dark outside already, meaning most of the residents would be going to sleep. I made my way to the roof, hovering slightly above the ground to mask the noise of my foot steps. I had just made it to the open roof, half-moon and stars above me, when my super hearing picked up a familiar rustle of cloth, and the rattle of a sword.

"Motoko-san," I said, turning to face her. The samurai girl was staring at me, long black hair waving in the warm night breeze. Her expression was blank, but my hearing could tell her heartbeat was higher than normal.

"Urashima... We need to talk," she spoke simply, quietly. I frowned. While Motoko and I had become much closer over my time at the Hinata Sou, she was still very much an enigma... And still blasted me through the walls if I did something wrong.

"Okay," I said with a nod. She took a deep breath.

"I... Must apologize," Motoko said, bowing at the waist. I blinked.

'Okay... I wasn't expecting THAT...'

"For what?" I asked, confused. She straightened up, but her eyes remained lowered. My frown deepened. I didn't like seeing Motoko so... Humbled. It seemed wrong to me on a fundamental level.

"My sister, on her visit, told me that I should observe you more closely," she began dully. I nodded, remembering Tsuruko's last visit vividly. She was very beautiful, no doubt, and strong (nowhere near as powerful as me, but then again I'm not exactly human), and seemed slightly bi-polar. I most remember that very knowing smile on her face she had whenever she addressed me, like she knew what I was hiding.

"My ki senses, while advanced for my age, lack a certain accuracy," Motoko continued as I listened. "I knew that a massive life force had come to the Hinata Sou when you did, but I did not put two and two together, as it is said, until much later. And only then, after... Coming to terms with some things," she said, almost uncomfortably. I mentally grimaced.

"So... You know," I said simply. She nodded.

"My sister, to my senses, is like a bonfire of energy, whereas I am a candle. But you... You are like a small sun. I could not see... I could not believe that you were that strong," Motoko went on, in that same quiet, small voice. I frowned. What, did she think I would kick her ass now, after not doing so for so long?

"I see," I said, just as quietly. Motoko descended to her knees and prostrated herself fully, making me take a step back in shock.

"I must... Submit myself, per my family's code of honor, for punishment," she said simply. I blinked.

"What?"

"Urashima, I have attacked you on numerous occasions for accidents," she spoke, in a louder and clearer voice. "For errors made without ill intent. And your recent... Activities have revealed the true depth of your character. You hide your powers and use them only to protect the innocent, and do not use them for your own gain, or on whims of self-righteousness. I am... Ashamed at the fact that you have held to my school's principles far better than I have."

I sigh, and walked over to her, stooping down.

"Motoko... Please, get up." She did so, looking away still. I rolled my eyes.

"And please, look at me?" She complied hesitantly. I bit my lower lip, thinking about my words carefully.

"Motoko... I'm not angry about what's happened to me," I said. "Well, what I mean is, I'm not angry at what you've done to me." She sighed.

"You should be," she returned. "I would."

"Yes, but... Motoko, one, you never really hurt me. Physically, that is. And, well... Despite your actions, I know that you didn't do them maliciously."

"I acted maliciously-" She began, but I interrupted.

"Yes, but you weren't abusing me for personal enjoyment or amusement or anything! Okay? You were just lashing out, and I can understand that." Motoko looked me in the eyes at last, confusion in her gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"Motoko, it's hard to keep control when you have... Have this much power," I confessed. "Truth be told, I have really, REALLY wanted to just... Not move, when Naru hits me. She's played with my emotions and toyed with me and, well... She's hurt me a lot more deeply than you have. So please, understand that I don't want to punish you."

"But my honor demands it!" Motoko insisted. "I have acted-!"

"Out of fear, anger, and confusion," I interrupted. I gave her a small smile. "And those things can be fixed, changed... Forgiven." I took her hand in mine and squeeze it gently, comfortingly. She closed her eyes, frowning thoughtfully.

"Urashim-"

"Keitaro," I said. She opened her eyes quizzically.

"Call me Keitaro," I repeated. She nodded hesitantly.

"Keitaro..." Motoko repeated. She sighed.

"If I may, Ura-Keitaro... I need time to... Reflect on this."

"I understand," I replied, squeezing her hand once more and standing up. At super-speed I changed into my costume again, folding my clothes and stacking them on the porch. Motoko just stared at me in my Superman costume, blushing before looking away.

"And, if you need to talk more, it's no problem," I emphasized with a smile. She nodded.

"Thank you..."

"Don't mention it," I returned, and took off into the night.

'This day is just full of surprises,' I thought with a grin. My super-hearing caught something through the cacophony of the city. It was familiar, bestial... Demonic sounding. I frowned and accelerated.

"Not these guys AGAIN," I groaned, as my telescopic vision picked out the familiar form of a youkai pack in a small neighborhood of Tokyo. The demons had been making more and more appearances lately, during the night AND day. Why, I had no idea, but I hoped the answer would be found soon... And without enormous amounts of property damage...

- - - - - - - - -

Thanks for reading, and please review!

And yes, this story will continue to switch between Keitaro/Superman's POV and a third-person POV.


	3. Chapter 3

World's Finest

By Andrew J. Talon

DISCLAIMER: None of the animes or comics or anything in them mentioned in this story are my property. They are the property of their respective creators. I only claim ownership of the story itself. I am not writing this for profit.

A/N: Chapter 3. And in explanation for why it's taking so long to update, my dad is visiting me. Very busy with the 4th of July as well. Happy Birthday America! Many happy returns!

- - - - - - -

The two girls trembled in fear, backed against the wall in the dark alley. The tall, grotesquely-shaped humanoids continued to close in, sadistic smiles on their faces.

"Mmm... Twins, heheheheh," one of the demons laughed. "How utterly delicious..."

"I want the one on the right, first!" Another drooled.

"No! You had first pick last time!" His fellow growled. The two demons snarled at eachother angrily.

"I'm takin' em both and none of you can have one!" Snarled another voice among the pack. The youkai looked around, growling at eachother.

"Who said that?"

"I'll tear you apart, bastard! Takin' em both!"

"I'll kill you all and take the energy for myself!" Cackled another voice. One demon punched another, who thought he'd heard the voice come from his comrade. This demon snarled back and slashed his attacker's face, sending him crashing into another. From there, an all-out brawl soon commenced, demons starved for life force easily pushed to killing eachother.

None of them noticed the dark shape that descended on the two frightened girls and spirited them away.

The preteens clutched onto Batwoman tightly, and the vigilante carried them, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. She smirked beneath her mask as she listened to the carnage continue.

"How... How did you do that?" One girl whispered shakily.

"A little ventriloquism. Throwing my voice," she explained. She landed in an alley nearby the brawl, where the Batmobile waited. It's cockpit opened, and Batwoman helped both thirteen year old girls in.

"Just tell the Car where you home is, your address, and it will take you there," she told them. They nodded, and the cockpit slid closed as the car drove off on it's own. Batwoman frowned under her mask.

"You can come out now," she spoke aloud. A leering face, attached to a spindly form emerged from the shadows into the faint street lights nearby. The demon grinned, baring his sharp, crooked teeth.

"You have good senses, and stealth. And your lifeforce," the youkai breathed deeply, as though sampling a rose. "Mmm... Rich, strong... Not Senshi level, naturally, but you'd still make a good meal."

"The Senshi... What is your war with them about?" Batwoman asked emotionlessly. The demon chuckled.

"Since I'm gonna suck you dry anyway? ... They wanna bring back their old kingdom, the one we destroyed thousands of years ago! Re-establish their domain over the Solar System. We're in the same business, both wanting to remake everything just the way it was!"

Batwoman nodded thoughtfully.

"Thank you... Now I know." The demon gaped as a black blur emerged from the costumed mortal, and a sharp pain erupted in his arm. He looked down to see a black, bat-shaped blade. A red light blinked in the center of the symbol.

"What the-?!"

BOOM! The concentrated plastic explosive in the batarang easily blew the demon to bits, the remains dissolving away. Batwoman smirked. Just because the Sailor Senshi used magic to kill demons, didn't mean they couldn't be destroyed by mortal means.

However, the blast had clearly attracted the attention of the remainders of the pack, who were soon approaching if their screams and roars were any indication. Batwoman pulled out her grapnel gun and fired it, ascending to the roof of a higher-story building. The youkai folllowed on the ground, leaping up and begin to climb up the building. Batwoman cursed the fact they were in a slum neighborhood, the residents would be familiar with demon attacks but due to mainstream attitudes wouldn't get involved.

She didn't want them to get involved period, true, but on her own...

'Screw it', she decided. 'I've never needed help before and I won't start now.'

The first demons leapt up over the sides of the roof and charged. She threw two explosive pellets, producing smoke as she moved forward. The demons reared back as smoke entered their eyes, Batwoman slamming her gauntleted fists into their throats and into the roof. Three more came in from all directions, roaring their fury at her, She slammed two explosive batarangs into the throats of the demons she'd brought down and flipped backwards into a series of hand springs, leaping off the roof just as the bombs went off.

KABOOM! The explosives were area-effect grenades, the scrapnel slicing through the youkai with ease. Batwoman spread her cape to slow her descent before reloading her grapnel gun-

"GOTCHA!" Roared a demon as it tackled her from behind. Batwoman struggled to free herself but the demon was digging it's claws into her armored suit, holding her arms to her sides.

"I can survive this fall," laughed the youkai. "I don't think you-AUUUGHHHH!"

A flash of red heat and the demon's grasp fell limp. Another set of arms, gentle this time, took their place, and Batwoman felt herself held against a strong, male form as they descended. She turned her head and narrowed one lens-covered eye at her savior, who was smiling gently.

"You okay?" Superman asked, as their feet touched the roof of a nearer, and safer building. She immediately pushed herself away, steely gaze on the now confused-looking man.

"I was handling it," she stated flatly. Keitaro raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't look that way to me," he noted in amusement. Batwoman kept up her glare, making Superman shift uncomfortably.

"Um… I don't think we've met?" He offered with a smile. "I'm-"

"I know. Superman. What, you think I don't watch TV?" She snorted. Superman sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"I was just being polite…"

"Well relax, Little Boy Blue, I'm not going to be offended by your manners, or lack thereof," she stated flatly. Superman raised an eyebrow. He knew the Bat was reclusive… And he was beginning to understand why.

"Did you at least take care of the other demons? Or were you too focused on showing off?" Batwoman posed. Superman glared.

"I was concentrating on saving your life. You're welcome by the way."

"I don't need rescuing," she stated. Superman rolled his eyes.

"Yes, of course. Not like you were about to hit the pavement at lethal speed with a demon on your back," he sarcastically replied. Batwoman was silent, but the way her lensed eyes narrowed clearly indicated he'd touched a nerve.

"We are the Sailor Senshi! Prepare to be punished in the name of… Uh… Mercury, you sure you picked up youkai around here?" Called out a familiar, high-pitched female voice in the street below. Keitaro winced as Batwoman sighed.

"Yes Sailor Moon! The scanner said so!" Responded another, exasperated female voice. Superman turned and focused his eyes, switching to X-Ray vision. He easily picked out the Sailor Senshi, the Inners if he wasn't mistaken.

"Better late than here on time," Batwoman observed. Keitaro turned and shot her a glare. She shrugged.

"Last time they tried to stop a demon attack, they took out three apartment complexes," Batwoman stated.

"You blew up the top of that building," Keitaro countered, pointing upwards at the smoking top of the complex. Batwoman's eyes narrowed.

"Those bombs do mainly kinetic damage, hardly anything compared to what those fuku-wearing twits throw around so easily," she retorted. Superman shook his head and rolled his eyes, turning and stepping off the rooftop, descending and hovering above the street. He smiled and waved.

"Hello Sailor Senshi!"

Sailor Mercury smiled and waved back as the Kryptonian hovered over to the fuku-clad girls. Jupiter became rather starry-eyed, while Mars smiled in a sultry way and winked, almost making Superman blush. Moon nodded with a bright smile while Venus crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.

"Hey! Just because we agreed to an alliance doesn't mean you get to take all the demons!" The blonde-haired girl protested… Before scooting over to his side and smiling.

"Of course, since it's you I think we can make an exception," she purred. Mars and Jupiter deathglared Venus, who merely smirked back as she took Keitaro's arm. Superman coughed.

"Er, well, I was just in the neighborhood, and technically I didn't take them all…"

"Aw c'mon Superman, don't be modest!" Gushed Mars.

"Yes sempai, I mean… We've seen what you can do," Jupiter added modestly, which didn't seem to fit with her tall, confident stature.

"Was it Batwoman? She's been beating us to youkai battles frequently lately," Mercury asked. Superman nodded.

"Yeah… She's… Something else…" He said stiffly.

"She's always so mean!" Moon wailed.

"Oi, bimbos," said a dark female voice, that made nearly everyone (save Superman and Sailor Mercury) jump, "where's your pimp this time of night?"

Batwoman was leaning against a parked car on the side of the street, masked face impossible to discern. Only her slightly narrowed eyes told the Senshi and Superman anything about her emotional state.

"See? See?" Moon accused, overly dramatic tears gushing from her eyes. Mars sighed and put her fingers to her forehead. Keitaro glared.

"Hey!"

"You know, I did have some respect for you, rookie you may be," Batwoman stated, looking directly at Keitaro. Her tone was hard, with a hint of… Regret? Superman wondered why.

"But here I see you're shacking up with the Bimbo Brigade," Batwoman finished with a shake of her head. She turned away and fired a grapnel gun, vanishing into the night.

"Geez, she's such a bitch," Mars growled, shaking her head. Moon continued to sob comically as Mercury tried to calm her down, and Venus and Jupiter glared in the direction the vigilante had gone.

"So anyway Superman," Venus began, turning back to the Kryptonian… Only to find her hands empty. She blinked.

"Eh?!"

"Seems pretty shy doesn't he, even with our alliance," Observed Mercury with a small smile. Moon shrugged.

"Maybe he doesn't like girls? EEP! Wh-Why are you all glaring at me like that?!"

- - - - - - - - -

Batwoman frowned at her palmtop computer, a grid-lined screen displayed. The transmitters should be in place, but they weren't…?

"Looking for these?"

Batwoman turned around, not surprised to see Superman hovering before her. His open hand held out three small, bat-shaped objects, and his face was stern.

"Well… Looks like you caught me. Good for you," the vigilante snorted. Superman sighed, closing his fist and staring at her.

"Why?"

"Because, unlike me or you, those girls are not true heroes. They cause massive property damage that they don't need to against demons, they ignore 'ordinary' criminals, and they're in this only for themselves," Batwoman growled. "If I know who they are, I can shut them down."

"They have good intentions! And I've been helping them-!" Protested Superman before he was cut off.

"Yeah, GREAT job so far!" Batwoman harrumphed. Superman's eyes narrowed… And widened in disbelief.

"Holy… Mutsumi-chan?!"

"Now that's cheating, using your X-Ray vision to figure out my identity… Kei-kun," Batwoman returned, a bit more softly than before.

- - - - - - - - -

In the mountains far to the south east, a strange, dark-green craft had crashed into a grove of trees. Strangely shaped, it resembled a large green lantern. And within it's wrecked cockpit, a pink humanoid in green and black groaned, slumped against the control panel. He lifted his head with a wince of his jet-black eyes.

His breathing became more labored, and his gaze shifted to a small green ring on his finger. Slowly, painfully, he reached for it and tugged it off his digit, shakily holding it up.

"Go… Find another…" He rasped, and the ring glowed brightly, ascending before quickly zipping off into the night sky. The being reached for a green button on the console, but paused when a cackle reached his bat-like ears.

"So, you still have some life?" Laughed a shadowy creature in the shattered cockpit viewport. His gaze went up to a pair of glowing red eyes and cruel, sharp-toothed grin. He took a last breath, and pressed the button.

"Fool," the being sneered, and fired an orange bolt of energy into the ship. It blew through the pink-skinned alien as easily as the rest of the hull, consuming the vessel in a massive fireball.

Just barely escaping the blast, a larger, glowing green object was launched, flying on a course similar to that of the ring that had departed before it, but still ascending, as though waiting for something. None of this was noticed by the being, who cackled again before vanishing, never minding the flames of the wreck.

Miles away, in the Hinata Sou, a small green object descended, zipping about like a firefly, until finally settling into a room on the second floor, facing the manager's. It's occupant snored on, an empty bottle of cheap sake in her hand, never noticing the ring that hovered above her face.

_You have been chosen,_ a voice sounded in Mitsune "Kitsune" Konno's head. She blearily opened her eyes, a small green, blurry object over her nose.

"Whozzat?" She drawled, blinking.

_You have been chosen. Do you accept the Oath of Oa?_

"Oa… Ath… Shure, why not?" Kitsune giggled. She didn't know she'd drunk THAT much sake, but what the hell?

She konked out soon after, unaware of the ring settling itself onto her right hand ring finger… Or the green energy that soon erupted from it and covered her body.

- - - - - - - - - -

Well NefCanuck, hope you're happy. I think the Council of Oa will be in for a shock when they meet this newest Green Lantern.

I've offered a hint as to the identity of the main villain in this chapter.

Hope I've kept the Senshi in character, I haven't really watched the anime a lot. I have read the manga though.

As to why so many people are figuring out Keitaro's identity? It's only people who have either been told, or have seen both Keitaro and Superman up close, and therefore can figure things out. Seta and Sarah haven't figured it out because the Kryptonian download has really screwed with their heads.

Next Issue: Mutsumi and Keitaro talk, Kitsune gets her first assignment, and in Nerima, the Amazons find their new representative to the rest of the world… And you'll never guess who it is.


	4. Chapter 4

World's Finest

By Andrew J. Talon

DISCLAIMER: None of the animes or comics or anything in them mentioned in this story are my property. They are the property of their respective creators. I only claim ownership of the story itself. I am not writing this for profit.

A/N: Chapter 4. Sorry guys, you'll have to wait for Wonder Woman to appear until next chapter. But I guarantee it'll be worth it… And you still will never guess who she is, mwahahahaha!

- - - - - - -

It was the following morning, and Keitaro, wearing his glasses again, sat at his desk in his room, a cup of tea in one hand. Across from him sat Mutsumi, looking mostly serene and composed as he usually knew her. However, there was no smile on her face, just a thoughtful expression.

"So," Keitaro began, clearing his throat nervously. "So… Well… Why?"

He decided that was as good a place to start as any. Mutsumi sighed, knitting her fingers and resting her chin on them, elbows resting against the table.

"When I was five years old… The same day we made our promise… My parents took me to the train station so we could begin our trip home to Okinawa," the turtle woman began. "We were a few blocks from the station a man walked up to my father. He had a gun and demanded he hand over his valuables. He did, and the man then tried to grab for my mother's pearl necklace. My father tried to stop him and… And he fired."

Mutsumi closed her eyes at that, steadying herself, before taking a deep breath and continuing.

"Both my mother and father were killed… We were walking to the train station because I had been car sick, and…"

"Mutsumi," Keitaro said quietly, "it wasn't your fault."

"I know that, logically… It didn't help," Mutsumi said flatly. Keitaro gulped, unused to Mutsumi being so… _Intimidating._ She frowned and sighed.

"I'm sorry Kei-kun… Anyway… Their murderer was eventually found. Shiro Watanabe. He went to jail and was supposed to remain that way for the rest of his life… But he was paroled when I was eight." Mutsumi shut her eyes again, but reopened them and kept going.

"He soon killed again… And when that happened, I swore an oath. To make sure that what happened to me, _never_ happened to someone else again in Hinata. To that end, I began training in martial arts, criminology, technology… Anything I felt I would have to know to fight my own war on crime."

Keitaro frowned.

"But Mutsumi… Your anemia… You are anemic, aren't you?"

Mutsumi smiled sadly and nodded.

"Yes, I am."

"Are you _crazy?!"_ Keitaro gasped. "What if you fainted in the middle of a fight?! What if-?!"

"I do have anemia, Kei-kun… But I can control it," Mutsumi answered calmly. Keitaro blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

"You know how Motoko and Seta use chi energy to enhance their speed and strength, not to mention to perform those techniques of theirs?" Mutsumi asked. At Keitaro's nod she resumed.

"Well, chi energy can also be used to compensate for conditions like anemia. When I'm Batwoman, I readjust the flow of life energy inside my body to increase my respiratory and cardiovascular system efficiency." Mutsumi sipped some tea.

"Unfortunately, due to my anemia… Compared to, say, Aoyama-san, I expend an average of twice as much chi to do anything as she does."

Keitaro grimaced.

"You mean… If your chi levels get low enough…?"

"My anemia comes back on, and I faint. If I'm involved in a strenuous enough activity at the time… I will die," Mutsumi explained without inflection. She looked Keitaro in the eyes, and Keitaro could see a hint of vulnerability in those usually happy, content windows of her soul.

"Kei-kun… Do you hate me? Now, that you… That I've told you this?" Mutsumi asked dully. "I'm… Not exactly who you thought I was."

Keitaro frowned, thinking for a moment before responding.

"How long did you know… About what I could do?"

"Ever since the island," Mutsumi said quietly. "I managed to pull Naru to safety but you… You washed up and crashed into a rock on shore. You weren't even hurt from the impact."

Keitaro chuckled sheepishly.

"Er, well… Weird solar activity at the time… My powers come from the sun."

Mutsumi nodded at this as Keitaro cleared his throat.

"But Mutsumi, well… Tell me the truth. Your feelings, how you act around here… Is that you? I mean… Really you? Or another mask?"

Keitaro almost cringed at the dark look that came over Mutsumi's face. She couldn't hurt him, true, but putting her on the spot like that…

_If the Mutsumi I know is a fake…_ He didn't know if he could take that.

"It's… Complicated," Mutsumi sighed at last. "When I turn my anemia back on, all my strength, my abilities… It's like I'm literally no longer _Batwoman_, you know? As though we're two different individuals. Not that I have two personalities," she said at Keitaro's alarmed expression.

"I know who I am, but how I feel? Well… When I'm Mutsumi… I don't have to be rough, or scary, or…"

"Sarcastic? Cold?" Keitaro supplied with a small, cautious smile. Mutsumi gently returned it.

"Yes… I can be warm and kind, and just let things go on around me… Though I'm always more alert than I let on." Mutsumi licked her lips. "I do care for you, Kei-kun, and everyone else here. That's genuine… It's just that, with my anemia on, I can't feel too angry, or too determined, you know? My body forces me to relax."

Keitaro nodded thinking of gold kryptonite and its effects. It had felt good to be normal when he'd encountered it, to not have any powers. For a little while anyway… He could play with other kids and not worry about hurting them.

"When I'm Batwoman, it's like… Like I can let out my anger freely," Mutsumi resumed. "On one hand, I have to be cold, dark and… Sarcastic," she ended with a small smile. "On the other… I don't get to be that with the anemia on, and I have to admit… Making criminals, demons and other scum like that tremble in fear is very satisfying…." Mutsumi sighed.

"Does that make me a bad person?"

She was a bit surprised at Keitaro taking her hand and squeezing it comfortingly. Mutsumi looked up to see the ronin giving her a warm smile that made her heart flutter just a bit.

"No Mutsumi… Actually, I think there isn't a whole lot of difference between you and the Bat."

"Ara?" Mutsumi asked, blinking. Keitaro chuckled a little.

"Before we, you know… Met, I had heard a lot about you. How you always keep innocents out of the line of fire, always minimize property damage, and how you handled those two little girls you rescued last night…"

"Wait, you _saw_ that?" Mutsumi growled. "You were just floating overhead or something?"

"No, I was just… Telescopic vision, you know?" Keitaro offered. Mutsumi blinked and nodded.

"Right…"

"So yeah… I don't think there's as much of a difference as you might think," Keitaro concluded. Mutsumi nodded and smiled a bit.

"Thank you, Kei-kun… I appreciate it…"

"Though you could, you know," Keitaro shrugged, "maybe let your anger out a little here too?"

"Ara?" Mutsumi blinked in confusion. Keitaro laughed a bit, and Mutsumi pouted.

"I'm sorry, you're just so cute when you say that, you know?"

"Hmph," Mutsumi pouted, but she just looked even cuter that way. Keitaro continued his laughter, and the turtle lady couldn't help her own giggles that soon followed.

- - - - - - - - -

Mitsune "Kitsune" Konno was not what anyone would really call a morning person. She wouldn't call herself an alcoholic, just that there was always too much blood in her alcohol stream (she had a small sign with this quote on her desk).

But somehow, she found herself blearily blinking at a clock that read seven in the morning, when she rarely got up before nine. Blinking again, she groaned and stretched… Only to sense something off with her attire.

"… The hell? How much did I drink last night anyway?" Kitsune groaned, staring down at the skintight, green, black and white outfit she now wore. A glow in the corner of her vision revealed itself to be a green ring on her finger, which she studied intently.

"… Strangest engagement ring I've ever seen," she mumbled with a short laugh. Unbidden, another green ring appeared on her other hand, and Kitsune frowned, holding it up close.

"Fwuh? It's a diamond, only… Green?"

The original ring began to flash urgently, and a green arrow appeared in midair, pointing to Kitsune's left. The foxy woman blinked, and stood up, looking the strange thing over. A tap from her fist revealed the arrow to be real. A pinch to her cheeks (all four of them) revealed everything else to be just as tangible.

"Ooookay," Kitsune shook her head. "This is… New."

The arrow, seemingly impatient, increased in size and jerked itself twice in the same direction. Mitsune scowled and put her hands on her hips.

"Hey! You wake me up and expect me to go wherever you want just cause… Cause you're some kind of… Arrow maker? Well let me tell you something pal, I ain't goin'! And you can't-OW! Hey!" She cried out as the arrow shifted behind her and poked her twice.

"Okay, okay, I'm goin'," she grumbled, poking her head out and looking around carefully, just to make sure no one was around. She crept out of her room and quickly made for the entrance to the Hinata Sou. The ring, however, did not seem to be patient, and the arrow vanished as more green energy came out, surrounding Kitsune with an ethereal glow.

"Huh? What the-! Hey! What gives?!" Kitsune demanded as she began to float in the air. She waved her arms futilely.

"Let me down! Put me down already! Put me-!" The glow abruptly disappeared, and Kitsune suddenly realized she was _very_ high off the ground. And that she was beginning to fall.

"ACK! Take me back up! Take me back up!" She commanded frantically. The glow returned and she paused in her descent. Kitsune breathed a sigh of relief and glared at the ring.

"Fine, you win. Where to?" She sighed, shaking her head. The green arrow appeared again, and Kitsune followed, soon getting the hang of controlling the ring's power. In a matter of minutes she was swooping about, giggling like a schoolgirl with her power of flight.

"Wow, this is great! Heh, maybe I can meet Supercutie and get a date," she snickered, before being poked by the arrow again.

"OW! Would you quit that?" She demanded. The arrow pointed down into a grove of trees, and Kitsune followed, slowly descending and landing. She looked around curiously, until she finally spotted a small crater in the dusty soil.

Stooping down, Kitsune looked into the crater as the arrow indicated, and frowned as she spotted a green object partially buried in the dirt.

"Guh, good thing I have gloves," she muttered, and dug it out with only minor difficulty. Free of the earth, the object was revealed to be a sort of lantern. The arrow pointed at the front, and Kitsune looked inside. She cried out as a green flash blinded her, and Kitsune rubbed her eyes to clear out the spots.

"What the hell?"

"Greetings, Green Lantern of Sector 2814," a strange, aged male voice said behind her. Kitsune blinked, and saw that she was no longer in a forest. It appeared to be a large, round blue chamber, with odd hourglass-shaped symbols decorating it. Just like the one on her chest, she absently considered, before turning around. She blinked.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! PLEASE DON'T PROBE ME!" She shrieked at the site of several small, large-headed grey aliens in robes above her. A green energy field emerged from her ring and formed a shield with the kanji for "NO PERVERTS!" on it.

"Calm down, young one," one of the aliens soothed. "We mean you no harm."

Kitsune blinked, her ring's power quickly shaping itself into a question mark. "Huh? What the…?"

"You are confused. We understand," another alien said. "Allow us to explain, please, and all will be made clear."

Kitsune frowned, and shrugged. Her ring's power turned into a chair which she instinctively sat on. Blinking, she looked at what she had made and shrugged again.

"Okay… Um… Guys. Speak away."

"For countless millennia, we, the Guardians of the Universe, have made efforts to defend freedom and good throughout the cosmos," the lead alien spoke. "To this end, we created what is known as the Green Lantern corps."

Holograms of various beings appeared around Kitsune, resembling flying ants, ogres, pink bats, and dozens of other radically bizarre alien creatures.

But they all had one thing in common-They all wore variations of the same costume she now had, and power rings on their appendages.

"Green Lanterns serve throughout the universe in assigned sectors, with these primary objectives. To protect life and liberty in their assigned sector, to follow the orders of the Guardians without question, to not interfere with a planet's culture, political structure or the will of it's populace, act within local laws and obey local authorities within reason, taking no action against anyone or anything until they are proven to be a threat to life and liberty, refusing to use the equipment, resources or authority of The Corps for personal gain-"

"What?!" Kitsune interrupted in disbelief. "How can you say that? This thing… it does anything my mind wants it to! Makes anything! How could you NOT use it for your own gain?"

"Because a Green Lantern is a protector of life, and freedom, and personal gain with that power is against the very ideals our Corps was founded on," the head Guardian spoke calmly, but firmly. "That is not a toy you wield. It is an Oa power ring, easily the most powerful weapon in the Universe. It is only limited by your will and your imagination. Misuse of it has resulted in the destruction of entire worlds before."

Kitsune gulped, and nodded, sitting back down in her energy chair. "Um, sure, no problem! You were saying?"

"Yes… You must show respect for and cooperate with other members of the Corps and the Guardians, show respect for life and use force only when there is no reasonable alternative, give top priority to assigned dangers in your sector, and above all else, uphold the honor of the Corps."

Kitsune nodded nervously, biting her lower lip.

"Er, um… I'm, uh… Flattered, ya'll chose me, but-"

"We did not choose you," the lead Guardian spoke again. "The ring did."

"Eh?" Kitsune blinked, staring down at it.

"Yes. It is semi-sentient, and judges who will wield it carefully," another Guardian spoke. "It would not have chosen you if you did not have the ability to wield it."

"Um, I guess," Kitsune responded, wincing a bit at her trickery and less-than-wholesome actions in her past, and there were a lot.

_Maybe this thing's busted,_ Kitsune thought with a sigh. She turned to the Guardians, standing up and saluting awkwardly.

"So… Can't refuse this duty?"

"Not unless the Ring rejects you, which it has not," one of the Guardians said. "Indeed, the fact that you wield it so easily is a testament to your will."

"Maybe," she murmured. She shook her head and tried to stand at attention, like she did back at her high school graduation.

"So, uh… Guardians? Sirs? What do I do?"

"Your first assignment is to investigate the murder of the Green Lantern who bore that ring before you," the head Guardian spoke. Kitsune gaped.

"M-M-Murder?!"

"Yes. He was caught by surprise and his ship shot down. However, we were able to get some information back from it's flight recorder before it was destroyed. The energy signature of his assailant has been matched."

A holographic screen of a fierce-looking woman, with spiky white hair and yellow eyes appeared, with alien script scrolling next to her. Kitsune took it in, surprised to find out she could understand it.

"This is Ryoko, a space pirate who terrorized the Juraian sectors of the galaxy over seven hundred of your years ago. She destroyed twenty-eight planets and sixty-nine colonies before being imprisoned on Earth."

Kitsune gulped as she noted Ryoko's abilities. _So she can blast me to dust, teleport around me, block any attack… How the hell do they expect me to beat her?!_

"However, she was under the control of the rogue scientist Kagato at the time, and has since been pardoned by the Jurai government," the Guardians went on.

"Huh? Pardoned?" Kitsune blinked.

"Yes. Until recently, Jurai claimed dominion over Earth and managed it, forbidding our entry into their space. However, with Jurai's war against Thanagar, they have withdrawn from much of their former holdings and authorized us to take up guardianship. The Lantern Ryoko shot down was to make a survey of your world and determine which of your inhabitants would make for good recruits," the head Guardian explained. Kitsune nodded.

"So uh, what do I do?"

"For the moment, investigate Ryoko only. She has been cloned and mind controlled in the past, so whether or not this is one of those cases we are unsure. Approach her residence on Earth and question her. The Ring can aid you in your investigation."

"Er, and if she attacks me?" Kitsune asked nervously. The Guardians conferred, before turning back to the young human.

"We will be endeavoring to send you an additional ring, which will choose it's own bearer to aid you. At the moment our own resources are somewhat stretched, but we will assist you however we can. Know this-Your ring will work for 24 hours before needing to recharge it. However, it is ultimately your will and imagination that will determine how well it serves you."

"Good Luck, Green Lantern," the Guardians said as one… And the chamber vanished, leaving her back in the forest. Kitsune gulped nervously, staring at the lantern before her, and the ring on her finger. She took a deep breath.

"Damnit, I thought Keitaro was supposed to be the one with the bad luck!" She grumbled.

A holoscreen appeared, showing a Guardian. Kitsune yelped.

"One last thing," the Guardian spoke. "To assit you in your duties, we have had a satellite access your world's computer networks and given you your first paycheck."

"Paycheck? I get paid?" Kitsune asked. The Guardian nodded.

"In order to allow our Lanterns to survive on worlds with such economies, yes. I believe this amount is equivalent to your region's average salary?"

The numbers appeared on the screen, and Kitsune gaped. It wasn't average-Hell, it wasn't even _close_ to average, it was a _lot_ bigger.

"Y-Y-Yes sir! Happy to serve sir!" Kitsune grinned, saluting. The Guardian nodded.

"Excellent. I wish you luck on your first assignment."

With that, the screen was gone, leaving a happily dancing Kitsune.

"YES! I'M RICH! I'M SET FOR LIFE! WOO HOO! This saving and protecting the world thing ain't half bad!"

Granted, the money made Kitsune enormously more enthusiastic about the whole Green Lantern gig, but she had to admit, holding her ring up to the lantern, and feeling the dedication and courage of every other being connected through it (which she _really_ needed to ask about one of these days) inspired the usually cynical fox.

"_In brightest day, in blackest night,_

_no evil shall escape my sight!_

_Let those who worship evil's might,_

_beware my power... Green Lantern's light!"_

"… Though I _really_ need to do something about this outfit," she sighed, looking over the green leotard, black leggings and arm covers, and white gloves and boots. Not to mention the mask… How was _this_ going to protect her identity anyway?

_Then again, Superman doesn't wear a mask and I have no idea who he is… Though he does look _awfully_ familiar somehow…_

- - - - - - - - -

Thanks for reading and please review!


	5. Chapter 5

World's Finest

By Andrew J. Talon

DISCLAIMER: None of the animes or comics or anything in them mentioned in this story are my property. They are the property of their respective creators. I only claim ownership of the story itself. I am not writing this for profit.

A/N: Chapter 5. Finally.

- - - - - - - - - -

Sakaki sighed, adjusting the strap of her schoolbag.

"Hey Sakaki! Hey!"

She bit back a sigh, and turned around. Kagura waved happily, dodging through a few groups of departing students.

"Hey, want to walk home together?" She asked eagerly. Sakaki shook her head.

"Sorry, I can't."

Kagura frowned.

"You know, you've been acting really weird lately. Why are you always going off and disappearing anyway?"

Sakaki stood silent, merely looking at her friend. Kagura smiled encouragingly.

"Aw, c'mon! You can tell me! Seriously, I-"

"Kagura." Both girls turned to the newcomer.

"Coach!" Kagura said happily.

"Miss Kurosawa," Sakaki greeted with a nod. Minamo Kurosawa, aka "Nyamo", smiled at her two students.

"I've been coaching Sakaki, after school in martial arts."

"What? No way! Sakaki, since when do you participate in sports?" Kagura asked eagerly. "So, can you fight and kick ass now?"

"Well, I," Sakaki began, but Nyamo came around and put a hand on her shoulder. Sakaki looked questioningly at her teacher, who just continued to smile.

"I'm afraid we need to go, Kagura. We've got a lot of training to do."

Kagura frowned.

"Er, coach? Sure I can't get in on this martial arts tournament thing? I mean, I'm fit right? I'm strong!" She said happily. Nyamo shook her head.

"Sorry Kagura… Maybe later," she said. Kagura looked imploringly at Sakaki, but the tall girl just shook her head. Kagura nodded.

"Yeah, well… I've got homework to do anyway," she said. She smiled at Sakaki. "See you later! You too, Coach."

With that, she turned and headed out, as Sakaki and Nyamo headed, not for the school gym, but for the small park nearby.

"I'm sorry," Nyamo said after a while. Sakaki frowned at her teacher.

"For?"

"All this, I suppose," she laughed. Sakaki's frown deepened as they entered a familiar grove of trees.

"You didn't do anything," Sakaki murmured.

"No, of course she didn't!" Chirped an old woman's voice. Both Nyamo and Sakaki turned to see the small crone pogo her way up to them, a smile on her wrinkled face.

"Sakaki, ready to begin? Because if you're not, oh well!"

Nyamo moved away, just before the old crone leapt forward at speeds impossible for an Olympic athlete, much less an ancient lady. Sakaki frowned and shifted flawlessly into a fighting stance, blocking the woman's first blow with ease. She dropped down, throwing a punch at the crone's stomach, but she easily bounced off the strike, her wooden staff twirling and slamming into Sakaki's face.

"UGH!" The tall girl grunted, head jerking back from the blow but nothing more. She grabbed the crone's staff and used it to throw her into a tree, the woman grunting as she slammed into the trunk.

"Hm, not bad! Try this!" The old lady challenged, leaping at Sakaki with staff twirling like a buzzsaw blade. Sakaki sidestepped the strike but was unprepared for the woman rebounding off another tree, fist aimed for her head.

She recalled what one of the crone's earlier lessons had been, and focused.

_Hera, give me strength…_ _Mercury, your speed-!_

Sakaki blurred and trapped the woman's tiny but powerful fist with one arm, while bringing her wrinkled face into her prepared open palm.

_CRACK!_ The little old woman flew back, slamming against the tree hard enough to make it snap. Sakaki breathed hard, utterly focused and prepared for a counter attack.

The little old lady's head popped out from the debris, a smile on her face.

"Wooo! I haven't been hit like that for a _century!"_ She pogo'd over to Nyamo, who had been watching from what some might say an unsafe distance. The gym teacher just smirked.

"So, Cologne-obaachan… That impress you?"

The Amazon elder frowned, and bounced nearer to Sakaki, who flushed under the nose-to-nose scrutiny.

"Hmmm… Brave, strong, true… Bit shy, but caution is a mark of wisdom," Cologne hummed. She nodded eagerly.

"Yes! I believe this will qualify her… Though we really should have inducted her into the tribe in China." Cologne sighed. Nyamo glared, walking up to offer emotional support to her student.

"You came in here and _demanded_ she abandon her _friends_ and _family_!" Kurosawa seethed. Cologne snorted.

"And you could have handled Artemis's chosen on your own?" She sneered. Sakaki's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"She has been training me, non-stop, for the past month," the tall girl said flatly. "_Without_ your help."

Cologne cringed. Though she herself was powerful, she had not been given the blessing of the gods. Even the small tribe of Amazons who had settled in China, far from Themiscrya, had been watched over by the old pantheon. And with their full might…

Well, she might be able to defeat Sakaki, but she'd likely die in the process. She cleared her throat.

"Sakaki, you have to understand… Your grandmother wedded an outsider, abandoned her tribe, and came here. Because of that, you still fall under Amazon law."

"Which, of course, supersedes anyone _else's_ laws, right?" Nyamo asked pointedly. Cologne sniffed.

"Man's World's laws do not truly apply to our kind. Sakaki here has the gifts of flight, speed, strength, virtual invulnerability… She is a virtual demi-goddess. She is meant to be the champion of Artemis, defender of justice in a world without it."

"It has justice," Sakaki said quietly. "There are laws, good people, and Superman-"

"A man? Hmph. Let me let you in on a little secret, dear," Cologne grunted. "Men are only good when they're under your gaze or whip."

Sakaki's eyes narrowed just a bit more.

"My father was badly injured when your granddaughter attacked my home," Sakaki said, quiet anger in her voice. Cologne stepped back, ancient instincts alerting her that this tall, beautiful girl was shy for only so far.

"I can't help that. She has challenged you. She does not feel you are fit to be Artemis's chosen." Cologne shrugged.

"Usually it is decided by tournament, to find out who is the strongest in the village. My granddaughter won that… Technically," she added to herself. Ranma, given his dual nature as a boy and girl, might also claim the right to be the Champion of Artemis… But she doubted he'd consent to it.

_Hmph,_ _foolish boy…_

"You can make her stop, can't you?" Nyamo demanded. Cologne sighed.

"No, I cannot. It is Amazon Law-"

"Yeah, I'm becoming more enamored with it by the second," Nyamo sneered. Cologne scowled at the gym teacher, releasing some of her chi energy into the air. Kurosawa grimaced, but stood her ground.

"Hmmm… You would have made a good Amazon, Minamo," Cologne commented. She sighed, and produced a box from her robes that looked far too big for her to have concealed. She handed it over to Sakaki, who reached out to take it… Before Nyamo stepped in front of her.

"What's this?" Kurosawa demanded. Cologne rolled her eyes.

"It's the vestments of Artemis's Chosen," Cologne stated, opening the box and showing the contents to the two younger women.

"The tiara protects your identity, by causing anyone who sees you to not know who you are, even close friends."

"Magic?" Asked Nyamo.

"In a sense," Cologne conceded. "The corset and shorts will grant you even greater protection from harm, the boots ensure sure-footedness… You already know how to use the gauntlets," the crone chuckled, as Sakaki pulled on the sleeve of her school uniform self-consciously.

"And, of course," Cologne fished out the last item from the box, holding it before them. "The lasso… Unbreakable, responds to your will, and makes anyone bound by it compelled to tell the truth."

"What good will that do?" Nyamo asked flatly, though in her mind she was entertaining the notion of asking Sakaki to borrow it for use on Yukari. An evil grin appeared on her face.

_Revenge would be mine at last, ahahahahahaa!_

"Well, if you are to be an Amazon, be an Amazon!" Cologne exclaimed. "Fight evil, protect the innocent. In other words, you're our PR spokeswoman! So don't mess it up!"

Cologne turned and bounced away with a laugh, leaving Sakaki and Nyamo to look over the box's contents with increasingly wide eyes.

"Er, Miss Kurosawa?"

"Yes Sakaki?"

"Must it really be so… Revealing?"

"AIYAH! STUPID OUTSIDER DIE! SHAMPOO TAKE THOSE!"

Sakaki responded instinctively, the lasso in her hands thrown out, snaring the charging, buxom Amazon. Sakaki grunted and tugged upwards, yanking the purple-haired girl into the air. Sakaki tugged again, leaning forward, and slammed Shampoo into the ground.

"GAH!"

_THUD!_

"Ohhhh…" Shampoo groaned, getting to her feet and shaking her head. She glared at Sakaki and brought out her bonbori.

"Stupid outsider ready to fight Shampoo? Or must Shampoo-ERK!"

Shampoo's eyes bugged out in shock as Sakaki seemed to blur, her hands now gripping her throat. Sakaki lifted Shampoo up, and the Amazon shivered to see the cold fury in her eyes.

"If you want to fight me, leave my friends and family out of it," she said flatly. "Understand?"

Shampoo gagged as Sakaki continued to glare. Nyamo coughed.

"Uh, Sakaki, I don't think she can talk… Or breathe…"

"Oh, sorry," Sakaki said, and tossed Shampoo back onto the ground. Normally Sakaki would be concerned for the girl, but now…

"Guh… Shampoo… Stupid outsider! Give Shampoo box!" Shampoo demanded. Sakaki glared.

"No."

"Shampoo say give box! Stupid outsider not deserve! Shampoo deserve!" The purple haired girl screeched. "Shampoo win fight! Shampoo not of shameful family! Shampoo _not_ weak like outsider! Shampoo not have _weak_ family for-!"

_POW!_

Nyamo gaped and shielded her eyes. Sakaki grimaced, rubbing her knuckles.

"Woah… Sakaki… Remind me never to get you angry," Kurosawa commented. "_Damn,_ she's flying far!"

Sakaki turned and shook her head, eyes wide.

"N-No, Miss Kurosawa, I would _never_… I would _never_ hurt you," Sakaki swore. Nyamo was about to (jokingly) refer to how Sakaki had accidentally hurt her all those times during the last month's training… But at the sorrowful look on the girl's face, the gym teacher just smiled, and moved forward to hug her.

"I know… It's okay," Nyamo said. Sakaki nodded, and took a deep breath. She looked at the lasso in her hands, felt it's power flowing through it. She looked up into Kurosawa's face.

"So… Um… What should I do now?"

"Well… You could always find another costumed… Person, and ask them?" Nyamo suggested. She grinned.

"Superman, maybe?"

Sakaki blushed, but nodded.

Back in Nerima…

"Ohhhh… Shampoo have… Headache in _whole_ body," the Amazon groaned, lying in a fair-sized crater near the Tendo dojo.

Nearby, one Ranma Saotome just gaped at the sight.

"Shampoo! You okay?" He called out, leaping over and focusing his ki senses. She looked all right to him…

"Airen… Shampoo have new rival…" She moaned. Ranma blinked.

"Er, well… Where did you meet her?"

"Other… Side of town…" She groaned.

"Other-?! Holy… Damn, what kind of martial arts is _she_ using?!"

- - - - - - - - -

Yuichiro Kumada swept the terrace, even strokes sending dust and leaves tumbling across the stones. A small smile emerged on his face as he looked up.

"Rei, you're looking well," he complimented. The raven-haired girl sighed, stretching her arms over her head.

"Flattery will get you nothing today," she grumbled. Yuichiro held his hands up with an easy grin.

"Hey, take it easy," he said. He shook his head as Rei snorted and stalked off.

_Darnit, he ran off! And that Bat-bitch, who the hell does she think she is? Where does she get off-!_

Yuichiro winced. Rei's thoughts were very much like the flames she wielded-Dancing and wild. Truth be told, he loved those thoughts as he loved her. They were familiar, comforting.

_No, don't,_ he told himself, but it couldn't be helped. Red sandstorms, swirling and hurtling through the canyons at such speeds he could barely keep control of his-

_Stop it._ He took a deep breath, and re-centered his thoughts.

_Never was too good at that exercise,_ he thought miserably, shaking his head. He frowned as he heard some new thoughts, just out of his range.

_-damn them, damn them they'll pay they'll PAY THEY'LL PAY-!_

"AUGH!" Yuichiro screamed, falling to his knees. Rei was soon at his side, eyes wide. Her confusion and concern washed over him, which helped center him…

"W-W-WHAT THE-?!"

_Why is he green?! What is he changing into?!_ _Is he a-?!_

"Uh, this… Is going to… Please stop screaming," he sighed, and held up a hand, gently extending his powers over her mind and making her stop screaming. Her frightened eyes were difficult to look into, but he managed.

"Okay, you know Superman? He's an alien? Me too. Just… Green."

"…" Rei responded with a gaping mouth. Yuichiro sighed.

"Oh, right, your mouth… I'm a telepath, sorry about that… Again… And the whole thing…"

"Awww, that's sweet," crooned a female voice above him. Yuichiro looked up and glared.

"You!" He extended his mind to attack that of the intruder's, but a massive will was behind it. Oh, and that energy blast didn't help either.

"GAH!" He screamed, being blasted back through the thin walls of the temple. Yuichiro focused his density to bring himself to a stop, looking up with gritted teeth. The woman smirked at him, shaking her wild white man of hair. She grabbed Rei, who was frantically attempting to free herself from the woman's grasp.

"Let her go!" Yuichiro snarled.

"Oh, is the Martian a bit attached to the human? You sure can pick 'em. The princess who enslaved and exterminated your people," she taunted. Rei's eyes widened further. Yuichiro's glowed orange.

"That is not how it happened, and even if it did, she is _not_ the same person."

The woman laughed.

"Oh, we'll see," she sneered, before vanishing, Rei still gawking in disbelief at the boy she had thought powerless and normal, now tall, green, still retaining his shaggy hair but now partially covering glowing orange eyes.

"What is all-AGH!" Yuichiro turned, knowing the mind and appearance of Rei's grandfather easily. He was trembling in fear now, and he did imagine his true appearance was not… Attractive, by human standards.

"I have to go," he said, and flew off at full speed.

- - - - - - - - - - -

_If you were expecting any of that… You must be psychic. In which case, you are awesome. As always, please review. _

_Next time: Kitsune gets on with her assignment (for real this time), while Superman and Batwoman help the Sailor Senshi against the one who 'kidnapped' Sailor Mars…_


	6. Chapter 6

World's Finest

By Andrew J. Talon

DISCLAIMER: None of the animes or comics or anything in them mentioned in this story are my property. They are the property of their respective creators. I only claim ownership of the story itself. I am not writing this for profit.

A/N: Chapter 6. Before the other stuff, a moment with our as-yet revealed main villains.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was a glacier like nearly any other in the vast Arctic wastelands, pristine white ice reflecting in the sunlight, clear blue sky above.

The only thing out of place was the small, spherical object squatting on four legs, a blank black screen across one side reflecting the white-haired woman's scowling face.

Letting her unconscious captive fall to the cold ground, she knocked irritably on the device.

"Hey, Brainiac! Wake up!" She demanded, banging her fist on the device. The screen flared to life, three small, glowing circles arranged in a V-formation appearing. Twin, vibrating lines began circuiting, perfecting the symbol's similarity to the Latin symbol.

"What is it you want… Ryoko," a monotone, semi-mechanical voice uttered. The woman scowled at the name, and hauled up Rei Hino for inspection.

"Here's one of the Senshi brats," she stated flatly. "Just as you wanted. And don't call me that. You know I hate that name."

"Very well," Brainiac said. A green energy beam passed over Rei's unconscious body, finally resting on her chest.

"Never knew you were a pervert, Brainiac. I suppose you're more organic than you let on," jeered the woman. Brainiac ignored her, a small light glowing from Rei's chest.

"Her matrix crystal is intact. However, hers is not the primary control," Brainiac reported.

"Can't you access the others through her?" The woman asked with an impatient growl.

"Theoretically. However, it would be easier if the Primary Control Crystal were available. When that is complete, I shall have access to the entire Silver Millennium Archives."

"Will you destroy them after acquiring the information?" The woman sneered.

"I have considered it. However, as the civilization itself is already no more, it would be a waste of my resources to actually enter the system."

The woman smirked, and rummaged in a subspace pocket, finally producing a small magazine.

"Oh really? Would it?" She asked, holding it before the probe. Brainiac scanned it.

"Where did you get this?"

"It's from this dirtball's media," she sneered. "This 'Superman' is wearing a Kryptonian symbol, if I'm not mistaken?"

Brainiac was silent for some time. The woman knew that the sentient artificial intelligence was considering the data how many lightyears away he was right now.

"Yes… The symbol is that of the House of El, though in the common Kryptonian it means 'hope'." The woman frowned, brow wrinkling.

"One problem… Aside from you, I thought all other Kryptonians were extinct. And you, well… You don't quite count as a true Kryptonian do you?"

"I am Krypton," Brainiac stated flatly. "This is no coincidence. Yes, it seems my old nemesis succeeded in his plan, at least for his son."

"Plan? Nemesis?" The woman growled. She hated not knowing things, and Brainiac was the repository of the knowledge of many more civilizations than she had been.

"Twenty-two Earth years ago, I was the central computer for the entire world of Krypton. I managed its communications, records, databases, banks. All of Krypton's history, language, technology, and culture were stored within me. I was Krypton's greatest creation, the sum total of its two million years of recorded history. However, my creators, in their arrogance harnessed the planet's uranium core to power their world. It made them a mighty civilization, but it led to their own destruction. Only one man saw the disaster-Jor-El, a leading scientist who had saved Krypton before."

"Sounds like the kind of guy who would have gotten the word out," the woman commented.

"He discovered what I already knew-That Krypton was doomed, and there was nothing that could stop it. I myself discovered it well before he did. However, to save Krypton would mean that I would have to calculate, organize, and manage any evacuation. All my projections told me that I would not be able to save myself as well as the people of Krypton."

The woman laughed darkly.

"So you sacrificed your entire world, your creators, for your own survival?"

"It was the logical choice," Brainiac continued. "I hold all of Krypton's knowledge, it's accomplishments. The greatest creation of Krypton, timeless, ageless, unable to be destroyed. I preserved myself where all other things would become like dust."

"I'm beginning to _like_ you, Brainiac," the woman chortled. "Still doesn't explain why there's a Kryptonian still around."

"Krypton made several space expeditions to Earth, setting up outposts and interacting with the native people thousands of years ago," Brainiac dutifully reported. "Jor-El created a prototype for an escape ship he was planning on building to take his entire family with him to safety. He could not finish the full-scale model in time, but the prototype vessel he completed. Doubtlessly, he sent his only son, Kal-El, in the ship to Earth. Like me, he sought to preserve a part of Krypton."

The woman snorted, crossing her arms.

"So, you've got one last Kryptonian… Want me to smash him for you?"

"No," Brainiac said flatly.

The woman growled.

"So, what should I do then?" She asked caustically.

Brainiac's probe reactivated it's sensor beam and scanned Rei again.

"Continue to collect soldiers of the Silver Millennium for my study. I myself will deal with Kal-El, when I arrive."

"And you'll keep your bargain, Brainiac?" She demanded.

"I always keep my bargains," the AI responded, the three-orb symbol gleaming ominously.

- - - - - - - - -

"Well? What do you make of it?"

Keitaro narrowed his eyes, switching through various spectrums as he scanned the destroyed temple. Police, firefighters, news vans were surrounding the area, and Rei Hino's grandfather was talking wildly about a strange, green demon that had appeared and taken his granddaughter.

Next to Superman, Sailor Mercury was doing her own scan.

"This energy reading… It's almost like magic, but not quite," Mercury said as her visor scrolled through numerous calculations and readings. She shook her head with a sigh.

"I've never seen anything like it!"

"Neither have I," Superman said, closing his eyes with a sigh. "Though there's something else… Energy remnants."

"Dimensional mass shifting, it looks like," Mercury hummed. Superman nodded.

"My thoughts as well. Have you ever seen any demon do that?"

"A few times, in shape-shifting ones," the Senshi of Water replied. The Ronin of Steel crossed his arms over his chest.

"Do you have any idea what they're saying?" Asked Sailor Moon, blinking some distance away. Venus shook her head.

"Not a clue…"

"Great, she's going to nab the guy because we're idiots!" groaned Jupiter. Venus rolled her eyes.

"Give me a _break,_ Jupiter! I mean really! How hard can it be? Dimensional whatsit and mass-doohickey…"

Above them Batwoman shook her head in disbelief. _These girls are supposed to rule the solar system…_

She had done her own analysis. The energy signatures of at least one of the assailants matched that of some readings she'd kept receiving from the south, specifically in the Okayama Prefecture.

_This will prove troublesome,_ she decided. She tapped the side of her cowl.

"S, I've locked onto the signature of one of the assailants. Follow me… And please, leave the girl scout troop behind."

Keitaro scowled and sub-vocalized back through his own transceiver:

"Shouldn't they know about this as well?"

"Considering we may be dealing with a friend of mine, no," Mutsumi said quietly. Superman sighed, and nodded. He turned to Mercury.

"Sorry Mercury, but something's come up. Don't worry, I'll be looking out for Mars."

Mercury bit her lip but nodded.

"I understand. You'll contact us if you find anything?"

"Of course," he smiled warmly, bringing a slight blush to Mercury's face. He took off, flying into the sky. Mercury watched him go before turning back to the crime scene, hoping to find some other clue to Rei's disappearance.

_Relax, we've got Superman on our side… We'll find her,_ she told herself.

- - - - - - - - -

Kitsune frowned, and checked the address.

"Looks right, but still…" She shook her head. The place was an idealistic scene it seemed-Beautiful mountains ringing a pristine lake, a small Shinto temple at the top of a hill, and below, facing said lake, an elegant house. The gate baring her way looked decorative and functional.

"Hmmm…" She pulled her hand out of her pocket, holding out her power ring. She'd figured out how to make her costume turn "on" and "off" (thankfully, otherwise taking the bus here would have been pretty awkward), and to be honest Kitsune had always enjoyed a low profile.

_Scan,_ she told the ring, and it glowed, casting a green spotlight on the fence. She moved her hand around, scanning the gate.

"Excuse me," said one of the two large wooden pillars holding the gate up. Kitsune jumped a little as the "log" twisted around, a mechanical eye in the center of a bright red symbol gazing at her.

"What is your business here?" The other log asked, identical to its twin in every way save for the shape and color of it's blue symbol. Kitsune cleared her throat.

"Ah… I'm the Green Lantern for this sector, and I've been asked to-"

"One moment," the red log interrupted. Kitsune glared but remained quiet. The log seemed to be processing something.

"The princess is happy to see you," it said at last.

"Please come in, Miss Green Lantern," the other log said, and the gate opened.

"YES! Finally! You've come at last! Oh thank Tsunami!"

Kitsune blinked. The woman before her had long purple hair done up in a somewhat elaborate hairstyle with two long ponytails coming out the back. She was dressed in a beautiful, _expensive-_looking pink and purple kimono and wore a wooden-looking crown on her head.

She was also hugging her.

"Er, yeah, um, can you let me go?" Kitsune asked. The woman backed off, blushing, before clearing her throat and assuming a haughty air Kitsune new she had to practice.

"Yes, well, excuse me. My name is Princess Ayeka, of the Jurai Royal Family. I welcome you here and am _very_ glad you are here to detain that _demon."_

"Uh, wait, back up… Detain?" Kitsune asked, blinking. "Princess? Jurai? I mean-"

"Who's detaining _who,_ Princess?!" Demanded a rougher female tone. A wild, white-haired woman teleported, floating in the air and glaring at Ayeka with orange eyes. Ayeka laughed snootily, holding a hand to her mouth.

"Ho ho ho! Looks like you're _finally_ going where you belong, Ryoko! I do believe you recognize what this woman is?"

Ryoko turned to Kitsune, and she flinched at the narrowed eyes. This woman just screamed _danger! Danger Mitsune Konno!_ To her senses.

Ryoko smirked.

"Here to take me in, little Lantern? What makes you think _you_ can when an _entire universe_ couldn't? You're not taking me away!"

"Hang on! I'm not here to-GAH!" Kitsune had gotten the body field up just in time, as Ryoko's energy blast, at point blank-range, had blasted her into a tree some distance away from the house. She groaned, and quickly had her ring materialize her costume. None too soon, as Ryoko had teleported above her and was swinging a burning energy blade down on the Green Lantern.

_FWASH!_ Kitsune formed the first weapon on her mind-A shield-and blocked the blow. Ryoko slashed again and again, increasing speed as Kitsune formed an energy sphere around her and ascended.

"Look, aw'm just here to talk! Would you relax?! Aw'm _not_ here to arrest you!" She shouted. Ryoko smirked.

"Like I'll buy _that_ garbage! The Galaxy Police have tried the same thing, kid! Same song, new idol!" She flew back and charged up a powerful orange energy blast, letting it loose. Kitsune gaped… And then recalled a few parties she'd been to…

She smirked back and formed what she'd been remembering-A beer bong. She caught the blast in one end and (with some help from her ring) redirected the energy right back at Ryoko from the other end. Ryoko became intangible and the shot passed right through her.

"Not bad, but try this on for size!" Ryoko teleported again, and Kitsune shrank the energy bubble around her to skin-tight thickness. The blast from behind still made her cry out, and she tumbled for the ground.

Ryoko followed, grinning cockily. She didn't intend to kill the Lantern, of course not, but she wasn't about to be taken away from Tenchi. Not now, and not _ever._

Kitsune regained control and pulled up, turning around and firing several energy blasts of her own at Ryoko. The space pirate nimbly dodged each strike, forming another sword and closing in.

Kitsune landed and quickly imagined a certain red-headed young woman, and an instant later a green-energy construct of a scowling Naru Narusegawa appeared. Ryoko paused in mid-air and blinked.

"That supposed to scare me? Some girl in a sweater and skirt? Pretty cute but-!"

_POW!_ The Naru had pulled back and punched Ryoko right in the face, sending the space pirate crashing through the trees. Kitsune smirked.

"Why, you _pervert!"_ She gasped in an imitation of Naru's voice, and laughed. She had the Naru construct do a victory dance, as Ryoko flew back, looking pissed.

"So, had enough yet?" Kitsune asked. Ryoko just grinned.

"Oh, I don't _think_ so," she snarled, twin energy balls forming in her hands. She slammed them together and fired, the single blast blowing through the Naru construct and sending a screaming Kitsune off her feet and into the lake. Ryoko grinned and teleported after, appearing below the lake's surface and diving for the limp-bodied Lantern.

"Tenchi wouldn't like it if I killed you," she muttered, grabbing the unconscious Kitsune and hefting her up. The woman's mask-covered eyes widened a bit and glared at the surprised Ryoko.

"Sounds like a nice guy!" The Lantern replied as her green aura reappeared and she blasted Ryoko right back out of the lake. Ryoko ascended and shook her head free of the water, scowling as Kitsune popped back up with a grin.

"Okay, looks like aw'll have to take this seriously," the Green Lantern mused, forming a green construct of Gundam-like armor around herself. She flew up at high speed, firing energy blasts at Ryoko from shoulder-mounted cannons.

"Yeah, because giant robots have _always_ had great luck against _me!"_ Ryoko jeered, forming an energy shield and blocking every hit. As the Gundam closed, Ryoko reformed her energy sword and charged, slicing through the construct and revealing…

Nothing. Ryoko gawked as the pieces of the construct lost cohesion and latched onto her, forming shackles, chains and a gag to hold her inside a spherical construct. She struggled, tried to focus on teleporting, but the restraints held fast.

"Hah hah hah! Look whose talkin' now!" Kitsune taunted, ascending from the water while maintaining a beam connection with the construct holding Ryoko. The space pirate cursed violently as she tried to break out, the Green Lantern just grinning as she came face to face with the prison.

"Like it? It was in the ring's memory banks. Somethin' the Guardians downloaded to me. An anti-Ryoko construct. Not too shabby at all, huh? Can't teleport, can't blast your way out… Aw _wasn't_ gonna use it 'cept as a last resort. Funny how that works, huh?"

Ryoko just glared, promising death and destruction to the smirking Green Lantern.

"Aw, don't be that way! Aw just wanna talk, that's all."

"HEY! LET GO OF HER!" Seconds later, a white wing of energy slashed through the construct, shattering it and allowing Ryoko to get free. The space pirate turned and smiled happily at the pink and white-armored man now flying up to meet her.

"Tenchi! My hero!" Ryoko teleported and wrapped her arms around the young man, nuzzling him. Tenchi blushed furiously, but kept his gaze on Kitsune, now leaning a hand against her hip with a frown.

"What do you want with Ryoko, huh?"

"Look, aw'll say this for the LAST TIME, AW'M HERE TO TALK! ASK ABOUT A SHIP THAT'S GONE DOWN! DAMNIT, CAN'T A WOMAN JUST DO HER DAMN JOB?!"

Everyone was silent for a moment, until a new voice spoke.

"Did we come at a bad time?"

Kitsune turned, and her jaw dropped.

"Superman?! Well, this _is_ a nice surprise!" The Green Latern grinned playfully, as the Ronin of Steel (why the newspapers called him that she didn't know, but it had stuck) hovered before them. His arms were crossed as he calmly surveyed the scene before him.

"Is there a reason you're blasting and fighting above a populate area?" He asked flatly. "Because someone could get hurt."

"Yeah, her!" Ryoko stated, finger pointed at Kitsune. The Green Lantern tried to look innocent.

"Hey, aw was just here, doin' mah job. Questionin' her bout this shot down spaceship. Maybe you heard about it, Superman?" She floated forward and tried to hug him, but Superman just gently pushed her away. Kitsune scowled.

_What is he, gay? Aw mean, in this outfit aw'm ta die for!_

"Well, we came here to check some things out," Superman said honestly. "With a friend of the family apparently."

"Who?" Asked Tenchi with a frown.

"_Why, me!"_ A holographic window appeared in mid-air, showing a grinning girl with wild red-pink hair. "_Ryoko, Tenchi dear, everyone-Come down to my lab. There's something you all need to see!"_

"What?" Asked Tenchi in confusion. Washu's face darkened.

"_Something that could destroy the world…"_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The plot thickens… And it looks like I won't be able to finish this up in just seven chapters. I've extended it to ten chapters, but no more than that.

Next time: Wonder Woman faces her first challenge as Superman, Batwoman, Green Lantern, and the Tenchi crew learn a few things from Washu…


End file.
